Ny Oh

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Ny Oh

| image =

| caption = Ny Oh in 2022.

| birth_name = Naomi Ludlow

| birth_date = 1994

| birth_place = Worcestershire, U.K.

| genre = Folk, psychedelic

| occupation = Singer, songwriter, musician

| instruments = Vocals, guitar, piano, percussion

| years_active = 2014–present

| current_member_of = Neon Gru

| website = {{URL|nyoh.me}}

}}

Naomi Ludlow (born 1994), known professionally as Ny Oh, is a New Zealand folk singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. She is the lead singer of the band Neon Gru and has toured with Harry Styles as a multi-instrumentalist for his Love On Tour.

Early life

Ny Oh was born in the United Kingdom in 1994.{{Cite web |title=Feature – Ex-pat Files: Ny Oh |url=https://nzmusician.co.nz/features/ny-oh/ |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=NZ Musician |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Ludlow, Naomi, 1994– |url=https://natlib.govt.nz/records/39413242 |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=natlib.govt.nz}} However, she moved to New Zealand when she was three{{Cite web |title=Feature – Ny Oh: Alchemy Of Humans |url=https://nzmusician.co.nz/features/ny-oh-alchemy-of-humans/ |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=NZ Musician |language=en}} and grew up in Tauranga.{{Cite web |title=Feature – NewTracks New Artist: Ny Oh |url=https://nzmusician.co.nz/features/ntna-ny-oh/ |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=NZ Musician |language=en}} Her mother is a flautist{{Cite web |title=‘My relationship with Los Angeles is hot, funny, surrendering and calm.’ |url=https://exceptionalalien.com/stories/ny-oh-los-angeles-is-hot-surrendering-calm}} and a music teacher.{{Cite web |title=Getting to Know Ny Oh |url=https://jaxsta.com/news-article/45764-getting-know-ny-oh |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=jaxsta.com}} When she was four years old, Ny Oh began playing piano.{{Cite web |last=Mahon-Heap |first=Jonny |date=2023-03-06 |title=Kiwi artist Ny Oh on tour with Harry Styles: 'I had pretty bad imposter syndrome ... but I never let it take me down' |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/300822243/kiwi-artist-ny-oh-on-tour-with-harry-styles-i-had-pretty-bad-imposter-syndrome--but-i-never-let-it-take-me-down |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=Stuff |language=en}} As a teenager, she took vocal lessons and played the violin. She learned the viola and guitar at Bethlehem College. Growing up, she was a fan of New Zealand musicians such as OMC, Crowded House, and Bic Runga{{Cite web |title=TEN QUESTIONS WITH NY OH {{!}} 10 Magazine Australia |url=https://www.10magazine.com.au/articles/ten-questions-with-ny-oh |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=www.10magazine.com.au}} as well as international acts like John Mayer, Pink Floyd, and Bruce Springsteen.

When she was 18, she relocated to London to attend the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance for vocal performance. She made a living working for a vegan café and busking. She spent much of her early twenties backpacking and hitchhiking and spent time living on an illegally moored boat with other musicians near Camden Town.{{Cite web |title=Off the Scheme: A Weekend with London Modern Troubadours |url=http://www.virginiavitalone.com/london-modern-troubadours |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=Virginia Vitalone |language=en-US}}

Career

In 2014, Ny Oh featured on the tracks "Younger Now" and "We Will Be Love" on Roaman's album Younger Now.{{Citation |title=Younger Now |date=2014-09-01 |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/6Xhm9nW3ty5ZBexOrD2lF3 |access-date=2023-03-12 |language=en}} She collaborated with Roaman again in 2016 on the track "Free at Last" for his album Free at Last.{{Citation |title=Free at Last |date=2016-04-07 |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/5YgAmsqMrTPOb6jkGxl1jF |access-date=2023-03-12 |language=en}} Ny Oh toured with Jonathan Wilson in 2018 and was part of Jesse Sheehan's band as well as part of a songwriting collective called The Lyrical Nomads. Also in 2018, Ny Oh released her first single, "Georgia,"{{Citation |title=Georgia |date=2018-08-14 |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/2xxw4R5x003F6m8R42hsXg |access-date=2023-03-12 |language=en}} and her first EP, Without.

Ny Oh, along with five other musicians, formed the band Neon Gru in 2018.{{Cite web |last=Magazine |first=LOCK |date=2020-09-23 |title=Q&A: Ny Oh from Neon Gru • LOCK |url=https://www.lockmag.co.uk/qa-ny-oh-from-neon-gru/ |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=LOCK |language=en-GB}} In 2019, they released their first single, "Growing Pains."{{Citation |title=Growing Pains |date=2019-12-28 |url=https://open.spotify.com/track/1ERthUVFCbp3eP71C427qG |access-date=2023-03-13 |language=en}} Ny Oh assisted with promotion of Harry Styles' album, Fine Line, as an anticipated new member of his touring band.{{Cite web |title=Harry Styles: Tiny Desk Concert |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/03/16/815556266/harry-styles-tiny-desk-concert}} Later in 2020, Neon Gru released two additional singles, "Moonlight" and "Hot Wine." In 2021, Ny Oh toured with Harry Styles during his Love on Tour.{{Cite web |last=Sims |first=Brittany |date=2021-11-22 |title=An Inside Look At Harry Styles' Backing Band For His 'Love On Tour' Concerts |url=https://www.thethings.com/harry-styles-band-love-on-tour-concerts-details/ |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=TheThings |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Meet Harry Styles' new band members as Love On Tour begins |url=https://www.capitalfm.com/artists/harry-styles/band-mitch-rowland-sarah-jones/ |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=Capital |language=en}}

In 2022, Ny Oh was a featured artist on the track TAURUS on Pauli Lovejoy's OFFAIR: The Power of your Subconscious Mind Vol 1: SPACE.{{Cite web |date=2022-03-17 |title=Pauli The PSM Releases Afrofuturist Album "OFFAIR: The Power of your Subconscious Mind Vol 1: SPACE" |url=http://culture.affinitymagazine.us/pauli-the-psm-releases-afrofuturist-album-offair-the-power-of-your-subconscious-mind-vol-1-space/ |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=Arts + Culture |language=en-US}} Garden of Eden, Ny Oh's second EP, also released in 2022. Neon Gru released two additional singles in 2022: a cover of Phoebe Bridgers' song "Motion Sickness"{{Citation |title=Motion Sickness |date=2022-04-28 |url=https://open.spotify.com/track/34XwjWP78KAdcNWXHw6tpW |access-date=2023-03-13 |language=en}} and an original song called "Elon"{{Citation |title=Elon |date=2022-11-22 |url=https://open.spotify.com/track/79mGSHgDsg7jsmWYnjvv2K |access-date=2023-03-13 |language=en}} Ny Oh continued to tour with Harry Styles in 2022{{Cite web |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |date=2022-08-23 |title=Harry Styles Gives New York The Wildest Party of the Summer With the Start of His 15-Night Stand |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/harry-styles-new-york-live-review-1234579830/ |access-date=2023-03-13 |website=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}} and 2023. She opened for Styles on March 7, 2023, for his show in Auckland, New Zealand.

Reception

Neon Gru's music has been described "eclectic and imaginative" by IndieGems{{Cite web |last=Andy |title=Neon Gru – ‘Moonlight’ – indiegems.co.uk |url=https://indiegems.co.uk/neon-gru-moonlight/ |access-date=2023-03-12 |language=en-US}} and "stunningly beautiful" by A&R Factory.{{Cite web |last=anrfactory |date=2020-06-04 |title=Neon Gru release beautifully progressive new track ‘Moonlight’ |url=https://www.anrfactory.com/neon-gru-release-beautifully-progressive-new-track-moonlight/ |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=A&R Factory |language=en-GB}} Ramona Magazine described Ny Oh's songwriting as "the love child of Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez."{{Cite web |last=Magazine |first=Ramona |date=2023-03-05 |title=A Meandering Muse with Ny Oh |url=https://ramonamag.com/2023/03/a-meandering-muse-with-ny-oh/ |access-date=2023-03-12 |website=Ramona Magazine |language=en-GB}} 1883 Magazine described her single "You Are" as "a slow-burning gem full of enthralling vocals, tender lyricism, crisp piano, and nuances."{{Cite web |date=2023-03-03 |title=1883 On Rotation: Birdy, DanDlion, Ny Oh – 1883 Magazine |url=https://1883magazine.com/1883-on-rotation-33/ |access-date=2023-03-13 |language=en-GB}}